COURSE OUTLINE
Objectives
In this course, students acquire practical skills (bridging technology and real-world situations) in modeling and resolving business problems using personal computers. With computers becoming essential tools for executives in most organizations, knowing how to effectively use them to solve problems will be very helpful in other business courses and students’ future professional career.
Outline
Basics of analytical modeling practice
– learn how to frame problems, and integrate other skills (statistics, mathematics, business processes, and quantitative methods) to model and address management concerns
Computer-literate lifestyle
– become comfortable with the personal computer, motivated to self-learn problem analysis computer tools and know where to get such information and system resources
Computer analysis tools and skills
– be exposed to a variety of software solutions (e.g. add-ins) and gain competency in using Excel as an analysis, model verification, simulation and management reporting tool.
Assessment
– Class Attendance &Participation 5% + 10 %
– Final Exam 25 %
– Assignments (2 x 10%) 20 %
– Pop Quizzes (3 x 5%) Best of 2 10%
– Team Project 30 %
Recommended Text
– Leong and Cheong 2011. Business Modeling with Spreadsheets: Problems, Principles, and Practice, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill.
Other References
– Walkenbach and Banfield 2007. Excel 2007 for Dummies, Wiley.
– Walkenbach 2004. Excel VBA Programming for Dummies, Wiley. Structure of the course
Course Schedule
Wk Topic Events
1 Basic Modeling in Excel
2 Basic Modeling in Excel(2) Try: Assignment 0
3 Functional Relationship
4 Data Lookup & Linkup Due: Assignment 1
5 Monte-Carlo simulation
6 It’s about Time
7 Decision-Support Due: Assignment 2
8 Recess Break
9 Project Proposal Due: Proposal Report
10 Data Analysis